Herefordshire Council ready for ice and snow

Herefordshire Council is prepared for icy conditions and snow storms which are predicted overnight and tomorrow and will be sending out the gritters tonight to cover the 15 main routes in the county.

These gritting routes cover 930km or 29 per cent of the entire road network in the county and secondary routes will also be gritted if required.

Clive Hall, Herefordshire Council's highways manager said: "We would urge all motorists to take extra care if the snow does arrive as predicted and adjust their driving to suit the conditions. Remember braking distances in these conditions can be 10 times that normally experienced.

"If the snowfalls are particularly heavy, we would urge people not to travel at all unless their journey is essential and to keep an eye on the weather forecast," he added.

In the county's depots, some 7,000 tonnes of salt is held and there are also self help salt bins and piles at problem spots throughout the county.

Herefordshire Council uses between 60 and 120 tonnes of salt per gritting run depending on the severity of the conditions expected.

Salt stocks are regularly replenished and in times of prolonged severe weather, there is enough salt in stock to last around three weeks without re-supply.

Snow ploughs are available and fitted ready to go and the council also has four snow blowers available, should drifts become deep on main routes

As well as service delivery partner Amey Wye Valley's resources, Herefordshire Council has a vast number of local snow clearance contractors lined up throughout the county who will act to clear the side roads, if the snow comes.